Eight years ago, Freddy Hilliard Jr.. traveled out to see an old coach of his. The Malvern Preparatory School baseball coach would often make courtesy trips out for his former assistants, especially when they’re working with 10-year-old players like this, to see how he can help in coaching and hitting drills.
This particular Saturday, it turned into a scouting trip. Hilliard's assistant pulled him aside and pointed out a kid.
“That’s Lonnie White Jr.,” the former assistant said. “You’re going to want to keep your eye on him.”
Hilliard's did and was impressed. After the practice he talked to White and his mother about his future baseball plans. He would wind up being Hilliard's’s No. 2 hitter for Malvern, located just outside of Philadelphia.
More impressively, he became one of the best high school players in the country. Two weeks ago, the Pirates took him in the Competitive Balance Round B at No. 64 overall.
On Monday, he signed with the Pirates for an over-slot bonus of $1.5 million.
“This is just a dream come true to me,” White said during a Zoom call with reporters Monday evening.
White is one of four players the Pirates selected in this year’s draft that ranked in Baseball America’s top 32 prospects. That includes catcher Henry Davis, the first overall pick, second-round lefty Anthony Solometo and third-round pitcher/shortstop Bubba Chandler. White was the last of the four to sign.
“I know what they can do,” White said, referring to Solometo and Chandler. “It's awesome that I get to be around them throughout my journey.”
All four players had first-round grades, but with the exception of Davis, signability concerns led to them falling to the second and third rounds. The Pirates went under-slot with Davis and some of their day two picks, giving them the money to go over-slot for the high schoolers Solometo, Chandler and White.
In White’s case, the debate was not just school or professional ball. It was if he wanted to play baseball or honor a football scholarship to play wide receiver for Penn State.
Growing up, White was a three sport athlete between baseball, football and basketball. He excelled at all three, making SportsCenter worthy dunks on the basketball court despite playing only two years in high school.
“He had a hard time saying no because he wants to compete,” Hilliard told me over the phone. “He just wants to be out there playing games.”
“I love to play the game. I could play it all year around,” White said. “And then you look at the school side, the school work, two sports. Each side would have been very difficult, but it would have been very difficult and not many people can do it [play two sports]. And on [the baseball] side, it’s just my love for the game.”
Hilliardsaid he thought football came easiest to White. He could spend a summer playing baseball, go to football camp late and immediately become their best player. It’s why Hilliardsaid he would support White if he decided to choose football over baseball.
But he wanted to make something clear.
“There’s 50 kids in the SEC just like you,” Hilliard told White. “There’s not one high school kid in baseball like you.”
White was graded by FanGraphs as having the second-best run tool of this year’s draft prospects. He also has plus raw power, can play center field, has a strong arm and, as Hilliard pointed out, great baseball smarts and a feel for the game. As he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame, he has legitimate upside to be a four- or five-tool player.
As a senior for Malvern Prep, White hit .395 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 26 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Baseball America ranked him the No. 32 prospect in this year’s draft class.
One draft analyst told DK Pittsburgh sports earlier this month that White had a Starling Marte comp.
So after a conversation with his family and Franklin, White chose his first sports love, baseball.
“It meant a lot, knowing that he wants the best for me, and it doesn’t matter if I went to Penn State or not,” White said. “He just wants the best for me personally. He wants me to be happy, which is awesome. He didn’t want to fight over me or anything like that. He’s just an awesome guy all-around.”
That decision means that for the first time, White can focus just on baseball.
If he has another gear, he could very well find it in professional ball.
“I think that’s the scariest part,” Hilliard said. “He’s just scratching the surface because he’s never put in as much time as a lot of other baseball kids because he’s always been playing other sports.”
"I think it's another reason I chose the baseball route,” White said. “I believe that once I get going and once I just focus on just baseball, it will become easier for me."
The Pirates and director of amateur scouting Joe DelliCarri have already seen him grow as a hitter.
“We watched him take on at-bats vs. high-level competition last summer coming off of a high school season,” DelliCarri said over Zoom Monday. “But, especially, watching him compete in some of the things he did in those at-bats offensively really stood out. We got a chance to see him face velocity. Got a chance to see him face a lot of different pitching. Handled himself extremely well in the batter’s box… The athlete and the body movements and the impact that he can get to are obvious.”
But while talking about White, DelliCarri consistently cited the “journey” he and the young outfielder are going to take together in his development as a player and growth as a person.
If you ask Hilliard, it’s that last point that stands out the most when talking about White.
“Lonnie’s obviously a special talent,” Hilliard said. “Probably the best talent that I’ve ever seen, but he’s an even better person. Humble, hard-working, coachable. Just puts the team first. All of the cliches get hit, but they’re all true.”
